The present invention relates generally to mounting apparatuses for mobile devices and, more particularly, to a mounting apparatus for mounting a mobile device on a support surface, such as, for example, a surface within a vehicular compartment.
Advancements in communications technologies have permitted the implementation of new types of communications devices. The new types of communications devices may be portable and may be carried by hand or used in a vehicle. When used in a vehicle, it may be desired that the device be mounted in a location that is easily accessible by the user of the portable device, either for hands-free operation or for easy grasping and access for normal operation. Since the user of a portable device may own more than one vehicle, it may be desirable that the user be able to mount a particular portable device in each of the user""s vehicles quickly and easily and be able to remove the mounted portable device quickly and easily from each vehicle. At the same time, it may also be desirable that the user of the particular portable device be able to do the same for another portable device that differs from that particular portable device in size and shape.
Because even portable devices of the same manufacturer differ drastically in size and shape, it may be difficult to create a mounting system for all portable devices for installation in each vehicle that could be used by a user who owns or uses many different devices. Each portable device could conceivably require a completely different mounting system from that required by another portable device. The situation is complicated by the fact that the interior compartments of vehicles differ in the available types of surfaces on which a mounting system could be mounted within the vehicle. The situation is also complicated by the fact that many mounting systems require permanent installation.
The present invention provides an apparatus for mounting a mobile device on a support surface. The mounting apparatus includes a base that may easily and conveniently be mounted on the support surface. When secured to the support surface, the base provides a mounting surface for a device-mounting assembly. The mounting apparatus may be configured so that the base and device-mounting assembly may be secured to the support surface with a securing member, such as a thumbscrew, using one hand.
In an embodiment of the invention, the mounting apparatus includes a base and a receptacle having a bottom surface and an interior surface that form a receiving portion. The base may be cylindrical and include a top surface and a bottom surface having a securing pin extending outward perpendicularly from the bottom surface of the base. The base has a mounting hole extending through the top and bottom surfaces of the base. The receptacle includes a mounting hole and a securing hole formed in the bottom surface of the receptacle. When the base is inserted into the receiving portion of the receptacle and rotated, the securing pin is received in the securing hole and the bottom surface of the base contacts the bottom surface of the receiving portion. The base then fits snugly in the receptacle. A securing member may be inserted through the mounting hole of the base into the mounting hole of the receiving portion of the receptacle to allow the base to be rotated during insertion into the receiving portion and to secure the base in the receptacle. A mounting assembly for a device may be secured to the top surface of the base using the securing member. The securing member may be a thumbscrew including an externally threaded portion for securing the securing member in an internally threaded portion of the mounting hole of the receptacle.